Dragon Spirit, Pure Heart
by Luna The Silver Fox
Summary: What if Toothless was actually female? Not just a female dragon, but a young Viking woman cursed with being a dragon. For 200 hundred years she flew creating the myth of the Night Fury, never aging, until a young man fixed her tail. Her human side is buried, only visible when she sleeps. Is Hiccup her true love and able to break the curse? rating will change to M
1. The Island

1. The Island

Swimming, swimming, swimming. That's all that filled the young woman's brain, as the water sloshed and crashed into her face. Her illustrious blonde almost white hair was waterlogged and weighed her down, in the churning froth of the Northern Sea. The ocean was cold and it bit into her bones, she shook with chill and fear. She looked about, the ship was gone, of course they had been foolish enough to test the Northern Sea with a small craft made more for breaking ice and hunting seals than going through storms and waves. Her family was gone, she had given up hollering, no one answered and the mist and fog was closing in, her only hope was to swim to the east, maybe an island or something she could grab onto would be there. Dark waters marred her vision and plugged her ears, blindly she swam and tried to not splash as much and act calm, lest a shark or any other carnivorous creature decided to investigate. After many hours of swimming, she could make out an island, grateful she swam up and collapsed on the beach. Not aware that she was being watched, she feel into a dark dreamless sleep.

She awoke to the sounds of the surf and birds shrieking over the loud waves, slowly coming to she got up her waterlogged light lavender dress had dried somewhat and her tough blue dragon leather belt was still clinging to the cloth. Her black sable half skirt was damp, but moveable. Her hair was wavy from being wet and the blonde sheen was more pronounced from the salty water. She was of perhaps 16 or 17 years of age, definitely a woman with large breasts and shapely hips, visible under her dress that draped over her curvy body. The first thing that washed over her like a tide was thirst, she hurried up the beach, onto the main ground, there she found a small stream that leaked into the ocean, anxious to get the salt out she began to drink gulps of it and then spat out the rest to rid her mouth of salt. She collapsed and began to thank Odin for the stream, and for bringing her to the small island.

However she couldn't dull her mind thinking that something was watching her, she interpreted it as paranoia from the traumatic experience from the storm and the fact that she had lost her people. 'Her people', it echoed in her head, she was part of one of the Viking bands to the North, who wanted to explore more of the world than the icy confines of their Northern Territory, her people were the Norseman, from the village Frigasstig or Frig's Walk, blessed by the Gods. Her people being Vikings had pillaged and raped across the lands of the West and North, also in search of new territories. The loss hadn't fully hit her yet, her body had kicked into survival mode, now she began to search the island for driftwood and any food. She found some pieces of driftwood, somewhat dry and a sturdy twig that she could use to start the fire, she also found logs and placed them at top each other to make a small shelter. She crawled in and sat up so she could make her fire, she rubbed them together using her feet as a base and then her hands rubbed it sharply back and forth. Soon there was a spark and a fire began to gain life, with small flame tongues, it gave her rest as it reminded her of home. Soon she was overcome by fatigue and grief, and fell into a soft sleep. Later that night under the cover darkness, with light feet and purpose they moved, and with a gentleness they took the girl. She did not stir as she was taken into the night.


	2. Captured

2. Captured

"Wake up!" Said a voice abrupt and stern, the young woman's eyes shot open to see several scruffy men staring at her, they were wild and looked similar to the men of her village, but kindness did not show in their eyes instead fear and coldness. "Don't ye have a mouth child?" Said an older one with a scarred eye and grey locks. "Maybe she be mute." "Aye, could be but her face says all." "We bring her to Ofrasaa?" "Aye, she'll know what to do with the waif." "She is of the Ragnarsson clan, look at the brooch at her neck." "Aye, but the Ragnarsson's are a brutal lot and unforgivable." "My people aren't." She said surprising them and herself. "And missy ye spake at last, what bring ye here?" "New land that's what brought my people here, we be starving sir." She said politely her voice lilting with fear. "We take her to the witch, then she shall be judged for the deeds of her people, what be your name young miss?" "Njalla Ragnarsson, daughter of Einar Ragnarsson. But we haven't committed any crimes against ye." She said as convincingly as she could, but to no avail, they continued to half carry and half drag her deep into the forest, the dark emerald trees closing behind them. She did not struggle or anything while they carried her, the first one who did was a burly man with a thick brown beard and wild eyes like the rest, at first he carried her over his shoulder soon she was dizzy and struggled so like a papoose he tied her to his back.

They stopped for brief intervals to rest, water and relieve, the men starred at her, some young and without wives couldn't get enough and looked hungrily at her curvy body. "Freya's beauty." said the young one with beginning of stubble on his cheek and freckles, his green eyes were kind. He walked next to her for awhile, trying to talk to her, and cheer her up. "Lassie, what are you called?" He asked her, she blushed at looked down slightly. "I'm Njalla." She said shyly and with a reddish tinge to her cheeks. "Njalla what a beautiful name it suits you." "What about you sir?" Njalla asked looking up slowly into his kind eyes. "Ah I'm Heath Horrendous Haddock, but they call me Hiccup, as a stupid joke." Heath shot her a grin that lit up his whole face. They tried to keep talking, she tried to tell him of her village but the grief was too fresh for her to speak of it and it seemed that she had lost some of the memory of it from her traumatic experience. He sensing her grief spoke little, until another burly man elbowed him hard. "Hiccup, ye won't get the lassie that way she's too good for the likes of ye." the burly man with wild red hair, as he reached over and rubbed Njalla's cheek and pinched her bum on the side. Njalla shrieked and gave him a dark look, causing a chorus of laughter from the others and a dark look from Heath to the red haired man. "See that young Lokran, he knows womenfolk better than Hiccup." "My names Heath besides she deserves better than you lot." "Oh a little lizard loves the prisoner, shall you challenge Ofrasaa boy when the time comes?" One man said with a thick black beard, trying to intimidate Heath. He didn't back down he glared back. "I'm a man in this village and I'm heir to the Cheiftan Ithar, her life is mine." Heath declared. Njalla blushed and hide her face, already she liked the young man. Heath looked at her and winked, they exchanged smiles and he did his best looking after her.

Soon they reached a good sized village with a port, and longships, much Njalla's dismay she saw one of her fleets' ships impaled on one and the loot filled their ship, a tear ran down her cheek. She was truly lost now. All of the people had come out to see what the men had brought back and were surprised to see the young woman tied up and being carried. She saw women her age with children looking up at her, old women sitting and watching, children pointing. She certainly was the main attraction. They set her down on a raised wooden platform with a carving of Frig and Odin upon it. Njalla fought the urge to fight her bindings and attempt to escape. All the village crowded around to watch her, Njalla had never felt so small as she did then, it scared her all their eyes. Then she heard a rattling, and turned to face the stone awning on the east side of the platform, an ancient woman wearing a bearskin cloak and a great dragon spear emerged, her hair white and wild, her eyes pale blue but sparkling with an almost anger, she climbed up and shook her talisman. "This is the daughter of our enemy!" She shrieked. "Washed up on our shore." Her old voice breaking, soon she turned and began to check Njalla, pulling at her hair and clothing. "You are the daughter of the chief?" "Yes, I am Njalla Ragnarsson." She spoke softly but strong. "I'm Ofrasaa shaman of the Berkistaad Village, tell me your age." "16 summers almost 17." "A young woman, last of her kind. Your filth burned and destroyed our land for the past 70 years, you shall pay." "Shaman Ofrasaa I have done nothing to your people, I do not know them and haven't committed any offense to ye. On behalf of my people please forgive me." Njalla spoke eloquently, and with strength. "The only way to atone for such crimes you must pay yourself, I lingering one I think, since your name means night dragon, perhaps that shall rule you. Bring her at moon set before all and you shall see what we do to our enemies!" Ofrasaa shrieked and cackled with delight, some villagers cheered others floored by what they witnessed, where was their chief? Only he had the power to decided that. Then Heath stepped forward. "Ofrasaa I challenge this ruling, I speak for her life!" Heath said a loud his voice clear and strong. Ofrasaa turned around in surprise, all the villagers were silent know spoke, not even the smallest babe in arms cried. "You Heath Horrendous Haddock, son of Ithar Mjollanjir Haddock, speak for this creature?" She spat the word as if even just speaking of anything about Njalla was disgusting. Njalla looked around with frightened and wide eyes, trying to keep her regal and ruler's pose. "Yes I speak for her, as my father's heir, I ask you to call on the runes and let the Gods decide." "Just because your late mother, Ingagrid was shaman doesn't mean you can invoke the rights of whom I may call." "If Thor were to agree, where is the thunder and ringing of his hammer, or are they displeased that we are to curse a woman because of her people, have we not fought and won in battle with them naught but two days before. He would be displeased for a woman clearly descended from his daughter Freya to be treated this way." Heath said, his voice was clear and strong, Njalla found her heart beating at this. "Only your father may call this but you may not, Heath you are a leader in this village but not the Chieftain." Ofrasaa said as if to threaten. "What will you do with her keep her as wife when you have been promised to young Stina? An enemy as a second wife." She snorted in displeasure, trying to get others to laugh at him. Heath held his ground, Stina was clearly another matter. Njalla knew it was lost she was an enemy and would be punished for her people's actions. Heath could do no more, if his father decided this was best he couldn't argue, but the matter still had to be brought to him.

A clamor of doors and bells was heard everyone turned to see Ithar the Strong emerge out of the long house, his beard flowing and horned helmet glittering he was a powerful figure. He marched up the platform his steps making the ground shake. "Ofrasaa I command you to read the runes." He bellowed before standing near his son, he carried a great spear with a bronze tip. Ofrasaa could only throw the runes in a mute nod on the platform, even she feared the leader, but she could work the situation for her purposes. She looked down at the runes scattered about on bone tiles, her gnarled hand picked one up, her pale blue eyes lit up and a plan formulated as the cackle escaped her lips. "Oi woman what does it say?" yelled Ithar. "She is to be cursed for 200 years as Loki demands in payment, his serpent of the sky will take her form, in drage shall be its name." She said ending in a cackle, Ithar was thinking, Njalla knew the curse one most feared in all Vikings except the Poison Sea and denial of Vahalla. All the villagers were murmuring, fear struck them hard. Ithar finally spoke "Let the gods judgement be final." There was a chorus of yelling and cackling, with one deft motion and quick lie, Njalla was to be cursed.

She was carried away in the crowd, she could see Heath's face disappearing as they carried her away, it was entrenched pain etched in his handsome face. They brought her to a storeroom where they tore her clothes, and put a white chemise on her, for modesty, and bound her delicate hands up, all the while hitting and kicking her. Njalla didn't cry or anything but was emotionless, they couldn't break her, despite everything she wouldn't cry. They left her in the storeroom house, her mind racing, not even processing what happened to her.


	3. Moonset

3. Moonset

The waiting was filling her mind, it went through her causing the tips of her finger nails to hurt and her skin to sting. In a way she wished it to be over, at least then her restless mind would rest. The straw laden floor of the storehouse poked and itched her skin through the chemise they had thrown on her. The ropes that bound her wrists, hurt as well almost like a bite if she moved them suddenly.

Then the door burst open, a tall man approached her, Njalla shrunk from him only to look into the saddened eyes of Heath. A smile fought its way to her lips when she saw him, but she kept herself still not wanting to cause any trouble for him. A few other men filed in, the moon's rays made their shadows appear more menacing. "I'm sorry." Heath said his voice filled with a deep sadness, Njalla nodded, she let the men bind her and with that they dragged her outside. The moon was a stark white, like a ghost of a longship tossed on the grey blue clouds like the seas.

The chill caught Njalla's breath when it hit her, but she made noise or shiver, but kept her pace. They brought her to the platform now displayed with torches, a pole decorated in bones was on the west side of it as if to greet the rising moon. All the villagers again gathered to watch the cursing take place, even small children. Ofrasaa stood as an opposing black figure on the platform, she had donned a black bear skin cloak but with the head intact and her face painted, rattling bones in her hand, a great staff was in her other. Njalla was temporarily untied and stood facing the moon. "Draw the circle!" Ofrasaa yelled her voice in sadistic glee, a circle was drawn on the platform in ochre powder, around Njalla. "Bring the creature!" Ofrasaa commanded, everyone turned to see a cage being brought to the platform, it moved and struggled, Njalla didn't want to find out what was in that cage. "Remove the covering!" Ofrasaa shrieked again, two burly men removed the covering that shielded the cage to reveal an angry Night Fury! Njalla gasped and stepped back the villagers shrunk back, women clutching babies, men standing in front to protect their women. "This is your curse, you shall become and live as this dragon." Ofrasaa declared. Njalla's heart quickened and her eyes were wide, but she did not show fear. "Drage shall be your name, as Loki's payment shall you serve for the evil your people caused, you shall call Drage your home but you are a creature of nothing. To be a drage for 200 years, your soul will not die but be merged in with his. Your death will not be quick for immortality is your food and drink. Maybe Odin will show mercy on your evil soul, but you shall never enter Vahalla but be consumed by Fenris your suffering eternal!" Ofrasaa yelled as she banged her staff into the ring on the platform.

Soon a bright light shone from the circle, revealing runes and whispers, the raging Night Fury was untied and he raged into the ring. All thought he would surely eat the woman before the transformation could be complete, but he circled her unsure and hissing. Njalla felt a searing pain shoot up her arms and feet, her chest was burning. She raised her face to the heavens in a blank stare as the pain filled her body, the Night Fury rose up to meet her, soon her feet were off the ground, floating as a brilliant light shot from her eyes. The Night Fury contorted itself eyes also blazing, soon they were spinning faster and faster, a loud cracking and snapping could be heard as if they actually were being burned, Njalla couldn't hold back anymore and an unearthly scream came from her pain stricken body, it shattered all those around her. All of the dragon and Njalla moved so fast they appeared to twist, the scream became a cry, that not of a human, but of a dragon! Her body was gone, melded into a dragon, now a Night Fury, the spinning circle was still moving at an alarming rate, then it changed rapidly grabbing Ofrasaa, a voice could be heard over her screams as she was pulled in. "Disgusting creature you shall not displease us again, the treachery tonight you have committed you shall pay with your life!" The voice yelled and Ofrasaa disappeared into the spinning void, her screams still could be heard as she was thrown around.

The spinning suddenly stopped, Ofrasaa was gone and all that was left was a scorch mark from where her finger nails, where she had tried to hold onto the platform. In the place of Njalla and the dragon was a dark, Night Fury, the villagers screamed and yelled in terror, the Night Fury let out a terrible shriek and blew a lighting like ball of fire igniting the platform. An angry roar ripped from its jaws, it then took to the sky and flew off, leaving the village in terror and engulfed in flames.


	4. DrageDragon

4. Drage/Dragon

The sun had dawned on the rather gray and quiet day; Njalla awoke, slowly as a great pain filled her extremities and her skin itched. She could feel a cold rock pressing on her face, the sounds of birds and rustling of trees made her realize that she was no longer at the village.

Her eyes felt funny as if slanted and angled on her head differently. She attempted to reach up and gingerly massage her aching temples, she stopped when smooth leathery scales touched it. In surprise she brought her hands down to view them, sure enough feet almost like paws but tough with claws all colored obsidian and sleek as a black cat. She literally fell backwards it was true, she was a dragon! Njalla tried to stand but fell on her side, she looked over to see a long black tail with two wing like appendages attached for flying. Now she paused to take in her whole body, she was smooth and almost cat-like her body was streamlined with gorgeous onyx wings that fluttered gracefully, she could shuffle using her tale for balance. Then she ambled over to a near by stream to have a look at herself, a feline face stared back brilliant green eyes stared back at her just like her own but reptilian and mystic, she had pointed ears that could stand up strait when excited and down when threatened. Her whole body and life had changed, she was no longer a human woman but a also noticed she had definite scales and ridges that were aerodynamic, perfect for flying. After spending a few hours discovering her new self, and dealing with mixed emotions, it was time to explore. She had no idea where she had flown the dragon side of her last night had taken over and had used flight to put her to safety. She ambled back to where she had woken up, a small indent of where she had lain, in dark green grass with rocks spread out, a rocky-hillside not too high by dragon standard but enough to put her off. "I don't think I'll go just yet." She said to herself while attempting to sit up and not crunch her tail. Njalla also noticed that sometimes the dragon she was melded with sometimes gave input as if his spirit was still there and not anywhere else. "Well it's just you and me, my village my people are gone..." Njalla couldn't hold back, she let out a keening wail that would give any creature a run, her grief broke the silence of the small glen, a sadness that couldn't be measure by any means she had lost her people, her life her body and herself. The night came on quickly, she burrowed herself into the grass the chill set in but her thick scales prevented her from being cold, her anguish brought her a dreamless sleep from which she wouldn't awake for two days.

The almost hibernation state she found herself in was disturbed after two days by the call of another dragon, Njalla was jerked awake by the surprise screech that came from the fog surrounding her glen. Immediately on the defense she made herself appear like a rock to discourage it. The screech became closer and more of a ringing pitch, that shook her, at last she heard the rustle of wings and furrowing of grass that confirmed that landing occurred.

Njalla lifted her black smoothed bat like wing to gaze at this new dragon, a large green and brown mottled Bullrougher with yellow eyes greeted her. "Good flying." He spoke or did his mouth move? Wondered Njalla, no it was telepathic. "Hello to you sir, it is good flying." She responded, hoping he understood, realizing that her thoughts were probably in dragon tongue. "I have not sen a Njahl drage before or as the humans call ye a Night Fury." "Yes, I was captured by them and barely managed to get away." Njalla silently prayed to Odin that she was convincing. "I'm sorry that, bloody creatures, tasty too but little pricks they be. But never less I forget me manners when I be talking to a lady such as ye, I'm called Vaored, who be ye?" "Njalla." "Ah pretty name suits ye, parents picked a good that Ag ha." Vaored said thoughtfully as he have a her a toothy grin, before nuzzling some grass by his foot. Njalla nodded, perhaps his company would help, Thor knows she could use it as long as he didn't learn that she was truly human. "Ah but where's your reir where ye folredre be?"Vaored asked looking into her eyes as if scrutinizing her movements. "They are gone I have no folredre and my reir is gone." These words almost brought on another wail, but Njalla held back, Vaored could see it though and nudged her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Odin bless them." "Thank you Vaored." She said softly, he gave a toothy dragon grin again, he was a good sized dragon similar to a Gronkle in size sturdy and stocky. "Have ye eaten much Ag ha?" Vaored inquired, gently. "Regretfully I haven't eaten for three days." Njalla said, looking down embarrassed. "Ah, well lets find ye something, ye care for land or taste Ah ga?" Vaored asked his brows knitting in thought of where they could eat. Njalla pawed the ground, fish would be wonderful she thought to herself. "There is a stream here just over passed these rocks, and I have seen fish." She said, looking up at him. "Well then Ag ha, lets have a look and see what fish there be. Your a young one aren't ye? Having trouble and after those humans took ye, no wonder ye can't find things." Vaored said kindly, as they ambled over to the stream.

Fishing as a dragon took patience, Njalla tried as hard as she could without looking suspicious and managed to catch a couple to fill herself. Vaored had caught several and enjoyed throwing them up in the air, blowing a fireball and then swallowing the burnt fish whole. Njalla preferred to to chew and not roast, this was how she discovered that her teeth retracted themselves. She was about to take a bite when she felt a pop in her mouth and pressure, running her tongue along she realized that it was her teeth. The teeth retracted to avoid being damaged in flight and to allow the scream like fireballs without significant damage to her teeth. Vaored was patient and soon became her friend, she enjoyed his company immensely. He made up for the loss of family she had suffered. Vaored had a story of his own, he was no young dragon and had experienced many sides bore the scars of battles fought, won and lost, his scales though still shiny and health loosing their luster of youth.

But a deeper scar was there, one that wasn't revealed until one night when the breezes blew colder and the moon was full. "I was a young dragon like you once, Njalla. My folredre had a vast territory spanning to the Northern Sea, we weren't challenge for space or location by any drage. Until Rarror or the Red Death as the humans call him took over." "Who's Rarror?" Njalla asked as she tucked in her wings against the wind. "Rarror is a large drage, bigger than you or me, as tall as a mountain, only one like him is born every 100 years. They are as old as the seas and just as cruel, they believe they are to rule us, to the point of giving mahala, or the sight." Vaored said and then finished a half eaten fish. "What's mahala?" "A curse or an almost knowing, it controls the mind, making any drage come to the Rarror it can mean to bring food or instant death." Vaored said his red eyes boring into hers, Njalla shivered. "I ran into Rarror on an evening as a young drage, he tried to coerce me change my flight path and everything to mahala and I refused. Ye see these scars on me back?" Njalla nodded. "That was when I escaped from Rarror, he tried to catch me. He managed to damage me wing, but Ag ha, he got nothing a drage can hold his will and that brute can't do anything." Vaored finished before licking his wing favorably. Njalla was processing all of this, a drage as big as a mountain and a hellish creature to boot. "But Vaored, if mahala can be rejected then why don't the other drage do the same?" Njalla asked, Vaored stopped licking and began to mull it over moving his lips in thought. "Well Ag ha, I think some have, but he rules with fear and death, he eats those who defy him. And finds ways to mess with their hearts and minds." Vaored said as he tucked in his wings, and curled into the grass. "Ye won't seek him out will ye Ag ha?" Vaored asked looking up at her from his grassy bed. "I shall avoid him, thank you Vaored." Njalla said lying down on her feet with tail wrapped around. Vaored's guttural snores soon filled her. Still uneasy about The Red Death she was awake for awhile staring at the stars for comfort, before finally tucking into her wing and falling into a dreamless sleep.


	5. Learning To Fly

**Drage/Dragon Language:**

**Drage (draw-geh)-Dragon, the original Norwegian word**

"**Good Flying"-How are you? or Good Day, a typical greeting**

**Njahl (Nuh-jawl)- Night Fury, Drage word, meaning "Of the Night"**

**Njalla (Nuh-jawl-uh) The feminine name of Njahl, is used by the Vikings, means "she of the night" or "queen of the night"**

**Vaored (Veh-o-red)- A mixture of sounds from Norwegian, forms the name of the **

**charming bullrougher :)**

**reir (ray-air) meaning parent or parents, derived from Norwegian**

**folredre (full-ray-dreh) meaning family or people also from Norwegian**

**mahala (Ma-hall-luh) a telekinetic control only produce by the Red Death, **

**replaces instinct, is similar to a homing pigeon**

**Rarror (Rah-or) A Red Death, same one from the film, also the name is a mixture **

**of sounds from Norwegian**

**Skoll- From Swedish meaning in this case "go!"**

**Ag Ha (Ah-g-Ha) A term of endearment like sweetie, meant as a father/daughter term**

**Enjoy the rest of the story! I will add more terms as it progresses :)**

to Fly

The next few days, Njalla and Vaored explored further inland, this time Vaored was more serious as if he were looking for something, it was difficult to follow as Njalla had no idead what he he searched for, but kept on. He had become a close companion, similar to her own father, whom she knew that he would never see her again, at times this pulled painfully at her heart. The sense of loss she carried deep in her heart, yet mercifully her brain sought more to adjust to her new body, ignored emotion and blanketed the incident over lost in the maze of her human brain, in an effort to cope. She silently thanked the gods that Vaored never asked too deep questions as she would have to refuse lest her found out she was cursed.

One afternoon, after two days of hiking through the steadily growing denser forest and scratches on her wings, she finally decided to ask him where they headed. "Vaored?" she said softly her tail tapped in nervousness. "Yes Ag Ha?" He paused a moment to scratch his leg and his big eyes enveloped her. "Where are we headed, I mean we have been at it for days?" Njalla said, eyes looking down in respect, but she slowly looked upward, Vaored pawed the grass and pulled a pinecone out of his tail. "Well Ag Ha, can you fly?" "Well...um...no, not very well I am afraid." She was embarrassed,and tucked her tail as if to hide, Vaored chuckled and smiled kindly. "Ag Ha, we are going to find a place for you to practice, as the best spot for young drages like yourself need a high point to start and be able to learn without other older drages noticing or discovering it, as some well Ag Ha...like to hunt young drages..." He said quietly, her heart pounded this was more than she had intended, 'To fly?' She asked herself inwardly, this was not her, humans did not fly, she only had maybe once but that she couldn't remember, there was also more to then just to teach her to fly and she could sense Vaored was hiding something...but what?

They continued their walk, the trees had needles and pine cones, a couple of curious squirrels ran around Njalla's legs and tickled her with their bushy bodies and bottle brush tales; but when she got close to touch them they shied away, she was learning quickly that most animals feared her and let her have space. But when the long and dark nights came on, the sounds produced still frightened her, with the trees being closer night came on faster and her still human spirit, still feared the dark, its predators and the unknown that lurked ominously around her. But knowing that Vaored was there helped calm her fears of the dark, but she could sense something bothered him especially when he watched the sky and flattened his wings and his pace changed. Njalla could keep up with him easily and could tell that if she had led them her long strides would have easily tired him out, but she was more than happy to walk behind and his shuffling amused her. Soon the terrain changed from dark needle forests to more open and rocky hills, than this gave way to a mountainous and volcanic range that rose from the sea of green and dark forests like the spine of a great beast asleep in its blanket of green. Vaored didn't stop his shuffle until they reached the top of a small clime that had sparse vegetation and the wind whip every which way, sharp and cutting like a knife of air.

They rested briefly, Vaored spewed a small fire ball and swept his tail over it creating a dark circular patch and laid upon it, his wings fluttering softly-tired. Njalla did the same, and tucked her wings, grateful to rest after a long three day walk to get to the summit.

Then after a rest, Vaored sat up and began to preen his wings, then after a thorough go over, he turned to Njalla. "Well Ag Ha, every drage must learn to fly, as itswhat can save you in any situation, it helps you survive and travel. The world is so peaceful when you are flying above it. So Ag Ha, I will teach you how my reir taught me." He said, he ambled over to her and looked her wing structure up and down both wings, "Now extend your tail, and fan out the back, this will help you turn and navigate this will save you, you lose even part of it, you won't fly again." He said, Njalla fanned out her tail, and the obsidian kite fluttered out and the air currents raised it. "Good, now extend your wings, you can fly with only one if you have to but it can damage your back, if you break a wing it will take time to mend, but if a human rips it off or they split you will loose your flight abilities, remember a downed drage is a dead drage." Njalla nodded and her wings extended and fluttered out, Vaored looked her wings over again, before making a deep grunt. "Now Ag Ha, think of the happiest memory you have, let it fill your heart, as this will help you in your first flight is flying with your spirit is what counts, you will not always be happy, but if you can fly with the energy in your spirit, you will always fly." Vaored shuffled over to the end of the summit, Njalla closed her eyes, she remembered the love of her people, the joy she had and of course Heath's kind voice. "Now Ag Ha, run to the end of the summit and jump, flap once to gain momentum then let it go, let the currents guide your wings, you'll know what to do, go on Ag Ha. Skoll!" He yelled.

Njalla made a final prayer to Odin, he would help her to fly. She ran her heart pounding, her eyes closed, with a final step her legs lifted off the ground, her wings raised themselves to meet the currents and without a second thought she jumped! Wind cascaded around her, she opened her eyes to see the vast green beneath her. She almost forgot to flap her wings, she was loosing it fast but a final flap and she was shooting up into the sky. The wind kissing her face, she was fast the currents pulling her higher, never in all her life had she ever been so free. It felt so good to feel her wings taking her up higher than ever before, no other human had seen this or felt the joy of flying, she was light like a cloud, but faster than even the great herds of caribou she saw running beneath her. Njalla was actually free, nothing could hold her down, she felt as if she had been waiting for this her whole life.

A rushing sound hit her ears, she looked over to see Vaored flying next to her. It amazed Njalla that with his bulk he could sit well on the air current, he gave her an encouraging toothy grin, which she returned a smile lighting up her feline like face, giving her a lopsided look. It wasn't long before she discovered that she could do all sorts of twists and turns, upside down, barrel rolls. The skies were hers and free from any earthly attachments, when Njalla flew it was where she could find peace in her chaotic world and mind that was confused with the body it now rested.


End file.
